I’ll say it before you do – not every music teacher can teach Christmas activities in the music classroom.
In districts like mine, our students celebrate an assortment of winter holidays and so I like to keep my December activities centered around “winter” and not specifically Christmas. HOWEVER, many of my friends teach in private schools, particularly Christian school in which most students DO celebrate Christmas.
No matter where you teach, here is an assortment of Christmas, holiday, and just plain “winter” activities for you to peruse!
1. My Christmas Playlist
In this exciting Christmas music activity, students plan their perfect Christmas Day. First, they select activities they enjoy doing during the holidays. Then, they choose a song to listen to during each activity. Finally, students collect their songs into a “My Perfect Christmas Playlist.”
This is a great option for a music classroom where most or all of your students celebrate Christmas!
2. Christmas Virtual Xylophone “Name That Tune”
In this activity, students are given a list of pitches and a link to a virtual xylophone to figure out eight popular Christmas songs including Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Joy To The World, and more! This lesson does not require any formal music reading ability but is a fun way to exercise students’ developing aural skills.
3. “Gingerbread” theme songs composition project!
In this engaging project, students create 3 gingerbread creations (gingerbread person, house, and car) and then compose theme songs for each creation.
Before composing these theme songs in Chrome Music Lab, students must first consider how they can incorporate elements of their creation into the song (Ex. Is your car fast or slow? Will the tempo of your song be fast or slow?) Through this winter activity, students learn how to be intentional in their musical choices when trying to express a specific idea.
4. ODE to an ugly holiday sweater songwriting activity(FREEBIE!).
Who DOESN’T love wearing an ugly holiday sweater?
In this silly activity, students decorate and name their “ugly holiday sweater.” Students then create lyrics for an “ode to their holiday sweater” by adding their own words to pre-written lyrics. Finally, students are taught to create a melody.
This is a great “introduction” to songwriting activity for your middle elementary-aged students. And did I mention, you can DOWNLOAD FOR FREE?!!!
5. Playlist for a snow day!
Put your spoon under your pillows and keep your pajamas on backwards because we are crossing our fingers for a SNOW DAY!
Even if you are in school, dreaming about a snow day is FUN!
To create their playlist, students will first choose their dream snow day activities and create images of themselves enjoying each one. Then, they’ll choose a song to go with each activity and explain how it relates to the experience. At the end, they’ll compile their chosen songs into a playlist. This project is wonderful for the winter months and holidays without directly referencing a holiday!
6. “Winter Wonderland” themed music worksheets!
These music worksheets are perfect for use as music sub plans or for regular music lessons. Designed with a seasonal winter theme, your students will love completing these worksheets while reinforcing important music concepts. The worksheets cover a variety of music skills such as rhythm, tempo, and naming notes on the staff.
These printable music worksheets are a must-have for any music teacher’s toolkit! While these music activities are not specifically holiday-oriented, they are perfect for use through the Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years season!
Thanks for reading and happy holidays!
Leave a Reply